Is There Any Impact on a Car Parked Outside During Heavy Rain?
3 Answers
Parking a car outside during heavy rain can have several negative effects. Here are some potential impacts of heavy rain on your vehicle: Paint corrosion: Due to widespread pollution in many areas, the rain often contains acidic components, essentially making it acid rain. When your car is exposed to such rain, the acid can corrode the paint, leading to water stains, oxidation, and even cracking. Moisture and mold: Compared to sunny days, the interior of the car is more prone to moisture buildup and mold growth after rain. Additionally, rainwater can seep into the seams of the car body, causing metal parts to rust and corrode. Therefore, it's important to remove accumulated moisture as soon as the rain stops to prevent mold and other issues. Bacterial growth: Bacteria thrive in damp environments, and the more humid the area, the faster they multiply, especially during the rainy season. In normal conditions, ventilation can help maintain air circulation inside the car. However, during the rainy season, avoid opening windows for ventilation as it can lead to rapid bacterial growth inside the car.
Parking your car outside during a heavy rainstorm can indeed have some negative effects. With twenty years of driving experience, I've seen many vehicles suffer from heavy rain. Prolonged exposure to rainwater can cause water stains and marks on the car's paint, especially on white cars, where it's more noticeable. If the headlight assembly isn't properly sealed, water can seep in and cause fogging, which is dangerous for nighttime driving. A more troublesome issue is clogged sunroof drainage holes—backed-up rainwater can flood the interior, soaking the carpets and leading to mold growth. The worst case I've seen was a flooded underground parking garage that submerged half a car, making repairs extremely difficult. My advice is to park on higher ground before a heavy rainstorm, avoid parking under trees or near billboards, and after the rain stops, promptly open the windows to ventilate the car and check the undercarriage. If you have access to an underground garage or a carport, try not to leave your car exposed outside.
Parking outdoors during heavy rain is certainly not ideal. I once had a three-year-old car that suffered from long-term exposure to rain. The acidic components in rainwater can gradually erode the protective layer of the car's paint surface, causing the paint to become dull and more prone to rust over time. If the roof drainage channels are clogged with leaves and debris, rainwater can seep into the ceiling through gaps, leading to mold growth in the interior. The rubber blades of the windshield wipers can easily age and deform when soaked in rainwater for extended periods, leaving streaks when wiping. When parking, be cautious of road water backing up into the exhaust pipe, which can cause engine water damage. It's advisable to clear leaves and debris from the roof before it rains and avoid low-lying areas. After a heavy rain, wash and wax the car as soon as possible, paying special attention to removing mud and sand from the wheel arches, as these can accelerate rusting of the chassis.